#129 11/4-5/2023

Radio Seminar: Financial Freedom Steps 1 & 2
Q&As: Financial attitude checks
Minute with Maxwell: “Together”

(UNEDITED TRANSCRIPT)

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to Financial Freedom God’s Way Radio.  This is where you can continue learn, apply, and even begin to pass on, Bible-based financial principles and applications so that you and your family will not only just survive, but can thrive even during these very uncertain times.

This is Bob Louder from Christian Financial Ministries in Hiawassee, and it is an absolute honor to have you with us—it really is. Now, what is going to be in store for you during our 30-minute time together this weekend?

• First, during our past several Radio Seminar times together, you discovered what the Bible has to say about financial bondage. We are now in the second of a six part series to see what the Bible has to say about financial freedom.  Today you are going to learn all about the first several steps, of the seven-step process you need to follow as you travel down your personal road to financial freedom God’s way.
• Next, you will follow up the seminar with some great Questions and Answers that will lead you into some prayerful financial attitude checks. That’s going to be fun.
• And finally, you will spend a great Minute with Maxwell, as bestselling Christian author, speaker, and leadership coach John Maxwell focuses on the word, “Together.” John will share how important it is for you to learn to slow down and to work with others.
• And by the way, as always, I suggest you focus on listening right now, without taking notes. Then, when you have the chance, you can always head over to our web site at www.christianfinancialministries.org to either re-listen to, or get a written transcript of this, or any of our radio programs.

So, stay tuned, for more fantastic Bible-based financial principles and applications you can start to get up and operating in your life right now–today.

Now, as we start, as we always start, let me open us up, with a word of prayer.  Heavenly Father, we thank You for the opportunity You are giving us to study your word together today.  Lord, will you please show us how we can learn and obey Your Word more completely.  Please help us to really pay attention to what You have for us today, in Jesus’ Name, Amen

BODY

Radio Seminar

During our last several Radio Seminar times together,

•  You discovered God’s plan for each of us is financial peace, not financial bondage.
•  You also discovered that financial peace can best be described according to Proverbs   10:22 which says, ….It is the blessing of the Lord that brings wealth, and he adds no          trouble to it. 
• Simply put, you can have financial peace when you have Jesus Christ as your Lord and   Savior, when you recognize wealth according to God’s definition, and when you have His peace—that peace that surpasses all understanding.  You can have financial freedom when you combine your salvation, along with all God places into your care and custody, and peace.

So, that is what financial freedom is.  The question now has to be, Bob, how can I get financial freedom?  How can begin to move from where I am financially to where God wants me to be financially?  Well, that is a great question.  The answer is, we need to dig much more deeply and much more practically into God’s Word.

And as we do, I hesitate, I almost hesitate to begin to give you this 7-step process to get on and stay on the Path to Financial Freedom God’s Way.   Why do I hesitate?  Because I know from personal experience, it is possible to get so tied up with your plans that you can miss the leading of the Holy Spirit.  Remember, online resources, books and even radio seminars such as this are great.  But do not confuse information with divine revelation.  If you are like me, most of what you have done financially in the past you initiated yourself, and then if you thought about it, only then did you ask God to bless it.  Am I right or am I right?  My friend, I rather imagine there have been times in your financial life when your head was too big and your God was too small.  It is time for a change.  You need to plan—yes, you do.  However, God needs to be the focus of your entire planning and executing process.

For example, I see God as the father—as the dad who gives his son the model airplane kit the son wanted for Christmas then is overjoyed when the son asks the dad’s help to put it together.  Think about it, do you tend to take what you ask God to give you then head off to enjoy it and build it all by yourself?  Or do you ask Him to enjoy it with you and to build it together?

My friend, it is time for you to listen to all that God has for you by way of this seven-step process to financial freedom.  Then, you need to ask Him—prayerfully ask Him to help you build it into what He knows is best for you.  And as you do, do not get hung up on the order.  You may already be working on any one or more of these seven steps.  You are going to discover a seven step approach to financial freedom God’s way, but do not get hung up on the order of those steps.

Now, the first of the seven steps you need to take to get on and stay on God’s path to financial freedom is to get into and study God’s Word.  No surprise here.

• You need to move beyond simply knowing that there is a God–you need to get to know who God You need to get to know Him personally.
  • This means you need to spend some time with Him. You already know that a relationship, any relationship, including your relationship with God, must be cultivated or it will tend to wither away. This means you need to learn to invest yourself into the spiritual disciplines–hear, read, memorize, meditate, and study the Word of God.
  • You see, God wants to use these spiritual disciplines to transform your life by pointing out and replacing bad economic habits with Bible-based economic habits.
  •  Now, having just said that, my personal opinion is, these spiritual disciplines do not bless you.  I believe, based on the Bible, these spiritual disciplines put you in a position to be blessed, and to be a blessing to others.  You see, you do not get to know God through a method or a plan, but through a relationship with a Person, an intimate personal relationship with the Creator of the Universe.
    • Therefore, how can you, or I, or anyone develop this relationship with God?  The answer is, we need to spend time together with Him in His Word.  Our minds are so often so in tune to the world’s way of thinking that we first must become orientated or re-orientated to God’s way of thinking.  How?  By starting with a thorough cleansing of our minds by God’s Word.  He tells us that His Word cleanses us as it washes away the impurities of this world.  God’s Word cleanses as it replaces wrong with right ways of thinking.
    • So, the First step along God’s path to freedom, any freedom, to include financial freedom, is to saturate your mind with God’s way of thinking. You need to put on our belt of truth.  Do you remember that when we talked about God’s spiritual armor?  You need to get into His Word.  Remember, there are over 3000 different verses that talk about money…how many do you know, how many do you understand, and how many do you have up and operating in your life right now?  Good thoughts to be thinking about.
    • But, a word of warning.     As you begin to practice these essential spiritual disciplines, as you begin to hear, read, memorize, and meditate on God’s Word, you we need to be careful not to make God your “habit” or to make your habits—make your spiritual disciplines–little gods.  True, you need to develop the habit of practicing the spiritual disciplines, but along the way be careful to worship the Divine Creator, do not worship the spiritual disciplines.
  • And by the way, make no mistake,
    • This first step on God’s path to financial freedom, getting into His Word, is not working for your salvation, it is the process the Apostle Paul calls working out your salvation. The law says “do this and live.”  But God’s grace always says, “live and do this.”
    • Getting into God’s Word is part of the discipleship process. I mean, aren’t you glad the conditions for salvation are a whole lot different from the conditions of discipleship?  Ask, believe, receive–and you are saved.  BUT, being a disciple, being a follower of Jesus Christ, getting into God’s Word, is work, hard work, and it takes discipline, it takes time, and there are no shortcuts to this process.
    • So, getting into God’s Word is the first step on your path to Financial Freedom God’s way.

Step two, now that you are into God’s Word.  What is next?  Well, at some point you need to come to the place where you physically do something to take everything you have, and transfer ownership back over to God.  Recall that it all belongs to Him anyway, He is the owner, you are the steward or the manager.  You see, my friend, you head into financial bondage when you begin to think and act as an owner, which we are not.  That is His job.  You get into trouble when you try to take on God’s job.  So, it makes sense, that to move from bondage to freedom, you need to make sure—you need to prayerfully do something that helps you remember that you are the manager—the steward—and it all belongs to Him—He is the owner.

• But how do you do that?  What are some of the ways can you go about transferring ownership of what is in your possession, back to God?  It can be a very simple thing to do.
  • Why not, for example, just write down on a 3×5 card, something like “Dear God, today I deed over to you everything in my possession.” Then date it, sign it, and then, stick it where you put those kinds of notes.  You know, on your mirror, or on the refrigerator, or even use it as a book mark for your Bible.
  • But be careful, because from my personal experience, the very next morning when you wake up, God may test your attitude to determine if you still have any strings attached to any or all of what you deeded back to Him.
  • And one more thing, do you think God care two hoots about what you just wrote on that card? Yes? No?  Well, I submit, no He does not care what you wrote on that card.  What God does care about is what is written on the tablet of your heart.  So, if that is the case, and it is, what is the value of the 3×5 card?  It is for you to remind you of the vow you made to the Lord.  And remember according to the Bible, it is a whole lot better not to make a vow to God than make it and not keep it.
    • You see, as a result of our time together today, the Holy Spirit is tagging you on the shoulder saying, “Listen, my friend, you need to be a steward and not an owner.”  And you say, “Yes Lord, I will do just that.”  But then you may tend walk away and in two weeks or so, you are acting like your ownership attitude has not changed—you are back acting like an owner.  I’m telling you, remember, my friend, it is better not to make a vow than to make it and not keep it.  That  3×5 card is a tool to help you member your commitment.
• Now, I have to share with you that my wife and I–we have what we believe to be, an easier way yet to hand everything back over to God.
  • Each time we move, and we moved a lot during our many years in the military together, each time we move, after we unpack, or at least get all the boxes in the right rooms, we would take Brooks and Breanne—we would take our two children and go room by room and ask God to bless the room.
    • For example, we would go into the kitchen and ask God to bless the hands that prepare the food, We asked Him to bless all the pots and pans and all the equipment in the kitchen—the stove, the refrigerator, the blender—all of it. We would go around the kitchen and turn it all over to Him—“Lord, you are the owner, we are the managers, please help us take care of it and use it appropriately.”  We pray and thank Him for giving it all for us to use, to manage, and to enjoy just a bit that all belongs to Him.
    • Then all of us would go into the living room and pray over everything in the living room, for example, the television—we would pray that every TV program ever watched in our home would be glorifying to Him.
    • Then we would go out to the garage, then down to the basement—and those areas might take just a little bit longer, if you know what I mean.
    • We also do the same thing with our checking and savings accounts, and with any investments we may have.
    • Then, do you know what we would do as a family? We would go outdoors and walk around the perimeter of our lot and we would claim it for the Lord Jesus Christ.
    • We would lay hands on our home and pray, “Lord, we know this is not our house—this is your house, thank You for giving it to us for this season. Help us to take care of it and maintain it—to steward it in a way that is pleasing to you.”  That is a good experience—something you might want to put into practice as well.
  • And by the way, since we don’t more around much anymore, we repeat all of this the first of every year—normally every January first—it is now one of our family traditions.
  • And one other thing. In addition to turning everything over to God, I pray, “Lord, I just ask two things.
    • If you know that I will never be able to manage that thing, please take it out of my life.
    • But God, if you know that I will be able to manage it, then I ask you to give me the wisdom to be able to do so.”
    • You see, I believe it is my right to ask that because the Bible says, if anyone lacks wisdom, he can ask God, and God will give it to him, liberally give it to him.
    • And do you know, over the years, some of the things I have brought into my life, God has removed. But before He removed them He first, always removed my desire for them.

OK, let’s review.

• The first step along the path to financial freedom is to get into His Word—become involved with the spiritual disciplines—hear, read, memorize, and meditate on the Word of God.  That is the first step.
• The second step is to transfer ownership of everything in your hand, back over to God…and do it often, put it on your calendar, make it a priority.  It may not be a simple process, and it may take you some time, but it is the 2nd step along God’s Path to Financial Freedom.

Now, the 3^rd step to take down your road path to financial freedom God’s way—well, I can see by the clock on the wall we need to pick back up with the third step next weekend…so don’t miss it.

Q&As

Now, let’s build a bit on what the Lord is showing us about financial freedom as we take a look at some real-world financial freedom questions.  And as we start, recall that the Bible tells us we are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds.  To me this means we need to check the financial attitudes that drive our financial actions.  One negative financial attitude that can really hurt us is worry.  For example, here is a “worry” question we often hear:

• Bob, I find that as I get older, I tend to worry more and more about the future, especially given COVID, and now all that we see going on in our country and in the world today.  I’m worried about how I could earn a living if I lost my job, and what will happen if I can’t afford to retire.  It seems like I’m paralyzed by fear of the future.  I know it’s wrong, but how can I change?
• Oh my goodness, Johnny, I hope you are listening today because I have to share with you that, according to the Bible, worry has been described as taking on responsibility that belongs to God, and that includes being preoccupied with the future.
  • Jesus said, “Do not be anxious, saying, What shall we eat? Or What shall we drink? Or With what shall we clothe ourselves? For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.”
  • My friend, when we read these verse in Matthew chapter 6, we see that worry is not the problem–worry is an outside indicator of an inside spiritual problem.
  • You see, most of our worries are based on future possible problems, not current circumstances. It is the “what if’s” in life that cause us the most grief in life.  Most folks can handle the current situation, even a bad one, but they go into depression when they think about the future.
  • So what is one way you can better handle worry? Why not stop, confess that you have assumed God’s responsibility, and turn that area of your life over to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Yes, you are to prayerfully plan, but the future is God’s responsibility.  He is the One Who manages the time.  You are told to manage your priorities and there is a difference.  It’s been said that we all have problems great and small, most of which never happen at all.
  • Johnny, that is a great attitude question. I pray our response helps.

Here is yet another “attitude” question.

• Bob, as a Christian businesswoman, I make many contracts with people who simply do not keep their word.  My question is, according to the Bible, do I have to keep my end of the bargain even if the other party does not?
• Susan, let me first share a personal opinion with you.  I honestly believe that it is an indictment of our generation that most people—Christians included—do not understand what a vow is.  Remember, we just talked a bit about that.  Remember, a vow is simply a pledge to keep your word, literally to keep your honor.  Once a Christian makes a vow, it is a binding contract, and must be fulfilled regardless of the cost.  Therefore, do not agree to a contract—or make a vow—unless you understand the total agreement.
  • I have to tell you from personal experience, vows seem to be conditional today. Many people feel that a contract made under one set of circumstances can be broken if the circumstances change.
  • In past generations, vows were a commitment of honor. When an honorable person shook hands, it was a deal.  Even if it required all that he owned, an honest man would fulfill his vow.  In Proverbs 22:1 we find this:   “A good name is to be more desired than great riches, favor is better than silver and gold.”  One outside indicator of an honorable person is a good name.  I would encourage you to keep your word, regardless of what others do.  Great question

Well, there you have it…a couple of great questions I suggest you prayerfully take before the Lord to check your attitude about finances.

Minute with Maxwell

It is now time again for one of my favorite times together with the Lord and you—it is time for another Minute with Maxwell.  Recall that John Maxwell is a #1 New York Times bestselling Christian author, coach, and speaker and he is considered the world’s most influential leadership expert.  Today, let’s see what John has to say about the word, “together.”

What did you hear John say about the word “together?”—what did you hear?  It seemed that John is suggesting that we often ought not to opt for the speed and efficiency of doing things alone.  To me he is saying, Bob, slow down—you need others to get to where I want you to be.  My friend, it’s true, we need people—one is too small a number to achieve more than just speed. We need to prayerfully slow down and learn to work with others.

CONCLUSION

Boy, this sure has been a great time together with the Lord—hasn’t it?

Let’s begin to wrap up by first taking a quick look back.

• And as we do, recall back to your Radio Seminar time where you are continuing to move from talking and learning about financial bondage, to talking and learning what the Bible has to say about financial freedom. So far you have seen that the definition of financial freedom is the absence of financial bondage—this is to say, financial freedom always brings peace—and peace is never part of financial bondage.  Then today you learned the first two, of the seven steps you need to take to get on and stay on the road to financial freedom God’s way.  You will discover steps three and four next weekend.
• Then you listened in on two listener questions and our responses that just might give you reason to stop and have a prayerful financial and spiritual attitude checkup. Remember, the road to transformed actions always begins with transformed thinking.
• Then during our minute with Maxwell, we discovered John Maxwell’s thoughts on the word “together.”

Finally, remember to check out our website at www.christianfinancialministries.org.  Why? Why would you want to do that?  Because on our website you can learn all about all of the ministry services the Lord has put into place through Christian Financial Ministries to better serve our mountain communities.  Plus, you can also re-listen to or get a transcript of this or any of our Financial Freedom God’s Way Radio programs.

Now, as always, let me close us in a word of prayer.  Father God, I thank you for bringing us together today and for each of the days to come to Your glory in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Have a blesse rest of your day, won’t you, and remember to be back next weekend so you can learn how to continue down your personal road to Financial Freedom God’s Way.